Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Summa Old Vines 2010 750mL

Good medium red. Knockout nose offers raspberry, strawberry and smoke lifted by a rose petal topnote. Firmly built and serious, with terrific lift to its red berry and orange peel flavors. Wonderfully aromatic, long wine in an intense but very delicate style, finishing with palate-staining breadth. Three to five years of cellaring should bring more richness. These vines budded out on March 11 and were picked on October 20, according to winemaker Thomas Brown. Barely 12.5% alcohol but distinctly riper than the Summa bottling from vines planted in 1998. (from vines planted in 1977; no stems used here)

– Stephen Tanzer